Method and apparatus for securing can covers to can bodies



J y 1929- c. G. HORNUNG METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SECURING CAN COVERS T0 CAN BODIES 7 Filed Dec. 9, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet W/g/VENTOR 504% 'MW y 1929- c. G. HORNUNG 1.719.547

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SECURING CAN COVERS TO CAN BODIES Filed Dec. 9, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 //VVN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented July 2, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,719,547 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES G. HORNUNG, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO LARKIN CO. INC., 01? BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SECURING CAN COVERS TO CAN BODIES.

Application filed December 9, 1926.

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for securing can covers or tops to can bodies, particularly applicable in connection with the type of metal cans having a double friction closure seal at the top or cover. The open end of the body of such a can has an inwardly extending flange with an outwardly opening channel formed therein, which channel receives a projecting channel formed in or depressed from the top or closure of the can, so that the channel of the top will telescope within the.

Y spill the contents of the can with resultant injury to other mail matter in the mail sack or container in which the cans are placed.

Cans have also been provided having only a single seal, with the contacting walls of such seals locked together by indentations of one wall into the other, but such cans have not been satisfactory for the shipment of liquids for the reason that it is difficult to secure contact between the cover and can.

body along the full length of the single seal, and the act of indenting the cover to lock the top to the can body often opens this seal suflicient-ly to allow leakage therethrough.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus'for securing in closed position the tops of cans of the double seal or double friction top type, with which accidental or unintentional removal or loosening of the tops Wlll be prevented; with which the top may, when desired, be forced open by means of a screw driver or other tool when the can is to be opened; and with which leakageat the connection between the cover and can body will be effectively prevented.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for accomplishing each and any of the above objects; with which the covers may be locked to the can bodies in a simple and dependable Serial No. 153,681.

manner; and which will be relatively simple and inexpensive.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of an embodiment of the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of apparatus. for locking the covers to the can bodies in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2- is a plan of the closure head of the same;

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan of the same, with the section taken approximately along the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the closure head, with the section taken approximately along the line 441 of Fig. 3 and illustrating a can and top in operative relation thereto.

Fig. 5 is a similar sectional elevation of a part only of the construction shown, in Fig. 4, and. illustra ing the action of a cam in indenting and locking the cover'to. the can body.

Fig. 6 is a sectional plan of the same, but on a larger scale, with the section taken approximately along the line 6. fi in Fig. 4, and with the cams in the same operative positions.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but with the canisin the ositions occupied at the completion of one indenting operation.

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 6, but i llustratingjthe position of a cam in the channel at the beginning of the indenting operation.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8, but illustrating a; different type of cam which may be employed.

In the illustrated embodiment of the, in vention, the can body 1 (see Figs. 4 to 9) is provided at itsopen end or face with an inwardly extending flange 2, which has formed therein along its free edge an inwardly projecting U-shaped channel 3, that is, the inner edge of the inwardly extending flange 2 is deformed to form an annular channel groove 3 openingoutwardly through the open face of the can body. The top 4 for the can is a metal plate having an annular U-shaped channel 5 formed therein at a point spaced inwardly somewhat from ill) its outer edge," the channel 5 of the top being of a width such that it will fit snugly and frictionally within the channel 3 of the can body when the cover is forced into closed position on the can body, as shown in Figs. 4 to 8. \Vhen the top is in closed position, there will be a friction seal between contacting side walls of the two telescoping channels of the top and can body. It has been found that this double friction seal is an effective liquid-tight closure, but to comply with the postal regulations, the covers must be locked in closed position by other than mere frictional contact.

in accordance with this invention a plurality of indenting cams 6 may be disposed in the telescoping channels and then rotated to indent into one another the contacting side walls of the channels, as shown clearly in Fig.5. These cams have one Width such that they may be easily and freely shifted into and out of the channel, and each cam also has a projection 7 which may be in the nature of a more or pointed tongue or lug 7 projecting peripherally therefrom, w-hich,'when the cam is rotated about its axis within the channehwill engage with two contacting side walls at one side of the telescoping channels and provide indentations 8 in both of these contacting side walls, thus forming a mechanical but. yieldable interlock between the cover or top and the can body.

The-pressure exerted by the projection or lug 7, which does the indenting, upon the two contacting side walls of the channels, while causing the indentation, tends to spring laterally the side walls at both sides of the channels, with'the result that in many cases, the entire channel of the cover, for

example, is sprung laterally. Consequently, the ontacting side walls at the opposite side of the channel at the point of indentation are frequently sprung somewhat apart, thus opening the frictional seal which has theretofore existed.

Occasionally the seal is also broken at the points of indentation by the distortion of the side walls during the act of indentation, and therefore the seal at both sides of any particular part of the channel may be broken by indenting one of the walls atone side ofthat part of the channel. To prevent this, each cam is provided with a tail or abutment portion 9 disposed diametrically opposite the indenting projection 7, so that when the cam is rotated from the position shown in Fig. 6 to the position shown in Fig. -7,'the tail portion will engage With the side wall of the telescopic channels, directly across the channels from the point where the indentation is being made, and

- will act as an abutment to prevent movetions are being made, in the direction of iinlentation, thus preventing the formation by distortion of an angular kink in the channel of the cover. The contacting side walls of the channels at the points directly across from the points where the indentations are being made will thus be held firmly together, and the frictional seal existing between them will not be broken by the act of indenting the directly opposite side walls of the channel.

If desired, the abutment or tail portion 5) may be a second indenting projecting 9*, as shown in Fig. 9, in which case indentations will be formed in opposite side walls of the telescopic channels at any particular point along the channel, but as before pointed out, there is some danger that the act of indenting may break the seal along the side walls and therefore it is preferable not to form the indentations directly across from one another, as would he the by the use of cams as shown in Fig. 9. V

The indentations may be formed at both sides of the channel at dii erent points along the channel by first causing indentations at one side of the channel 9, as shown in 7, then returning the cams to the inactive positions shown in Fig. 6, causing relative movement of the cams along the channel to fresh points, and then causing relative movement of the cams in the reverse direction so as to indent the opposite side walls of the channel. that is, the side walls opposite those in which the first indentations were made. Thus the indcntions will be formed at points spaced apart along the side walls of the channels and at either or both sides of the telescopic channels, and consequently there will, at all times, be a close frictional contact and seal along the channels either at one side wall or the other.

While each cam could be provided with a suitable handle by which it may be mai'iipulated to cause the indentations, a nicclnmical device is preferably provided for causing a plurality of indental ions simultaneously. Referring particularly to Figs. 1 to 5, the cans with the tops applied, ready for mechanical locking, can be disposed upon a suitable table or support 10, which is guided for vertical movement by a depending stem 11 thereof, which reciprocates in suitable guides 12 of a standard or frame 13. The lower end of the stem ll rests upon one end of a foot lever 14', and by depressing the other end of the lever 14 with ones foot, the table and a can supported thereon may be shifted vertically toward a closure head designated ,generally by the reference numeral 15 in Fig. 1.

The closure head 15 is supported about and in spaced relation to the table 10 in any suitable manner. such as by a bracket 16 of the standard or frame 13. The closure head tit) may include a bearing post 17, which is fixed in the bracket 16, so to depend therefrom toward the table 10, and is provided with a reduced terminal 18 (Fig. 4) at its lower end. A plate or member 19 may be fixed to the terminal end 18 in any suitable manner. such as by a key 20. Fig. 4. and also, if desired, by a set screw 21, Fig. 3, which extends through a flange or hub 22 of the plate and into contact with the terminal 18 of the post 17. An operating arm 23 is rotatably mounted upon the terminal 18 of the post 17 and abuts against the shoulder formed by the terminal 18 and the body of the post 17. A gear 24 is rotatably mounted upon the hub or boss 22 of the plate between the plate and the operating member 2?), and maybe secured to the operating arm 23 in any suitable manner, such as by screws 25, which pass through the gear and into the arm 23.

A plurality of stub shafts 26 extend through and are rotatably mounted in the plate 19 in a row around the gear 24. The end of each stub shaft 26 which extends from the plate 19 toward the arm 23 carries a pinion 27 which meshes with the gear 24, so that all of the shafts 26 will be concomitantly rotated by an oscillation or rotary movement of the arm 23 and the gear 24. The stub shafts 26 project downwardly from the plate 19, and each shaft at its lower end carries a cam 6. Thus by an arcuate movement of the handle 23. all of the pinions 27 will be rotated through a given angular extent, and likewise all of the cams (3 will be given a similar angular or rotary movement.

In the operation of a device such as illustrated. a can with the cover forced thereon is placed either upon the table or can support 10, or placed with its cover end against the closure head 15. The closure head and can are then brought together while the arm 23 is in such an angular position that all of the cams G will be in the relative positions shown in Fig. 6. that is. with their minimum widths extending across the channels. so that the cans may move freely into and out of the telescopic channels. This condition is shown in Fig. 4. The operator then shifts the arm 23 in one direction through a given angular extent. that is sutlicicnt to rotate the cams in one direction through ninety degrees, that is, into the positions shown in Fig. 7, thus causing an indentation at spaced points along one of the side walls of the telescopic channels. as shown in Figs. 5 and 7. During this indentation operation, the abutment surface ends of the cams 6 will prevent distortion of the side of the telescopic channels across from the points of indentation, so that there will be no opening of the seams at such opposite points. The operator then returns the arms 23 to initial position in which the cams G will be in the positions shown in Fig. 6, whereupon the can is then given an angular rotation about its own longitudinal axis. so as to place the cams G at ditlerent points along the channels from those previously occupied. The operator then turns the arms 23 through a similar angular extent in the opposite direction so as to rotate all of the cams in a reverse direction. as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 7, thus indenting the inner or other contacting side walls of the channels and at points spaced along the channels from the previous points of indentation. The operator then returns the arm 23 to normal. intermediate position. after which the can may be removed with its top or cover mechanically locked thereon.

It will be obvious that various changes in the details. which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. The method of securing a metal can cover having a depending straight sided channel to a metal can body having an open straight sided channel at its open end and which receives the depending channel of the cover along both side walls to form a double friction seal. which comprises assembling the cover on the "an body with their channels telescopically fitting one another closely and continuously along abutting side walls of the channels, and then forming telescopic protulieranccs in abutting side walls of both channels by indenting pressures applied to the abutting side nails from the inside of the inner channel.

2. The method of securing a metal can cover having a depending straight sided channel to a metal can body having an open straight sided channel at its open end and which receives the depending channel of the cover along both side walls to form a double friction seal. which comprises asscniblii'ig the cover on the can body with their channels telescopically titting one another closely and continuously along abutting side walls of the channels. then forming telescopic protuberances in abutting side walls of both channels by indenting pressures applied to the abutting side walls from the inside of the inner channel. and holding by a blunt abutment the abutting channel sides at the opposite side of the channel from the indentations.

3. The method of securing a metal can cover having a depending straight sided channe to a metal can body having an open straight sided channel at its open end and which receives the depending channel of the cover along both side walls to form a double friction seal. which con'ipriscs indenting a side all of the channel of the top into the contacting side wall of the channel of the can IOU 1111 11.. and applying :1 11111111 11111111110111 to 1111 opposit sid0 Wall 1111110 01111111101 at the point tl101'0in. to hold 1110 01111111101 11111101110111 in 1110 111100111111 111' in- .1 1.11111. 11 111 10111 11111 11111011111111111 11:1 111 111,-011111pli--l11 1l without 111101111111 111 1111 scam at 1110 opposite side .111110 (1111111101.

1. The 11101111111 ot' socnringz 11 11101111 01111 1 11102' having 11 d0p0ndin; straight si1l01t 0111111110 to 11 11101111 01111 body having" 1111 1111111 0111111111 1 11 its 1111011 01111 and which 1'01'0iv0s 1111 11011011111111 straight sidcd 01111111101 111 111-1 1 1111 1 111 form :1 1111111110 friction s0al. 11111011 1111111)'1. 1'. 1111111111111p1'0ss111'0 to 11l11111i11; =1-1 111: 11 1110 10l0s011pi0 0111111110111 in 111111111111 1' 11.111- .'1 1'1 01 \'111' 1110 1'l111111101s :11 11 \1'1111111 1110 1'111111110ls by an 111111 11 1.

1111. 11i 11111111 1-. 1; ;11111' o110 pair 111" 11111111111; s1111- 111111 111111 11 11111111 11111111110111 0111111111 1' 11.0

1111 .1 11 1s 11110011 across 1110 channe s the 11111011111111"poi11t.1o011111011 10s1-1 t11l101'an00s in ahnt1in 111110 1111s 111' 1111 channcis.

01111-1 having! a 1 11 11 1 111 .1119; 1 12111 11 s: 1 0111111110! 11121 1111-1111 can11111111111111 111 up 11 sii'aiy ht sidcd 011111111 01 at 11s (1111111 01111 and 1 111011 1'01'01Y0s 1110 11011011111110; 01111111101 01 to 1111111 11 1111111110 friction s0al. which 0on1pri--0s apptving p1'0ss111'0 111 111 1111; sid1 wa1ls 1-1 1110 t0l0scopic 1 1121111101. in oppositc di1'011i1111s 11'1111sY1-1's1 1 1' 1111111 0111111- 110ls111 a point 1'1 11111 1110 01111111101 l1 1111 111- d1 nting1' point 0111 111111111 (1111 pair 01' 1111111111153 sidc 1111-; 1111 1 :1 11111111 11111111111 11 1111 side Walls directly across 1111 1- 111 111 1110111110111111 1 poinhto11011101 1 1'11l11h01'11111'0s i1 11111111111; sid

1 l0s0op11' 1111111 111 011111111010 and 00011111111 such tildatlifltiflil? 11L 1011111101 at op 'msite si1l0s of 1110 01111111101 in 1 111;;1101'011 11 11111011 211 11111 1110 11111111101.

EJ1 111 1110 111111 01' s00111'in; 11 11101111 01111 0 111'1' having 11 1l1 p011di11g' straicid. 0111111111 1111111111 111101111l 111 \'11111111; 11111111111 id1 11 111111111 1 111 its open 1 .1111011 1'1-1-0i1'1 s 110 .11 1101111111 01111111101 111 1 11\01' to 1111111 :1 1111111110 11'? .ion s0;1l. 1011 1-1=111111is0s 11111011111111" 111111 11110 1111111111 0 1111 0111111101111 sid0 walls of 1110 011111111111. and

1011111110 11 11 11111111 :1l11111110nt 1111- 1 1110 wall 115 1110 01111111101 opposit0 011011 point 111 11111 1111 21111111111 11:o\0n10 1t in 1110 1111'01'111111 111 1 1110 1111101111111011 is 1111110.

7. Apparatus for s01'111'i11g 1'1111 tops to 01111 hodio 1111' cans 1 1' the 117110 in which 1110 can hody and p 1111\1 t0l1 s1'opi1' 01 1111110111 t'orniing :1 1111111110 friction s011.. which 0on1- prises a support 1111' 1110 can body. 11 011111 having 11 .1111111 sn1all0r than 1110 11111111 11 1110 111111111101 and 111111'111110 1 1111111 11 to said support into 1110 cl1ann0l. incans 1111' 1111111111- in; said 011111 For rotation about an axis transverse to the 11111110 111 the op0n 11100 1-11 1110 01111111101, so as to cause rotary 11111101110111 of 1110 011111 within the channel, said cam hav- 111;:' a poin11 d portion 101' ind0nting the side Wa l 111 0110 channel into the contacting side W111! 111' the oth0r, said 011111 having: at a point opposit0 1110 pointed portion an nnpointed 11111111110111 s111'i'ac0 engagcable with H10 @1111- tarting si1l1 \tLllS of the channels dircctly opposiic 1110 point 01 ind0ntation during' 1110 1111101111113 arc of 1nov0m0nt. Wl101'0loy distor- 111111 of 1110 chann0l sid0 walls which a 1'0 011- ;raged by 1110 11111111110111. surface during i11- 111-11111111 operation will he pr0v0nt0d.

Apparatus for securing 11111 tops to '1111 1111111011 1111' cans 01' 1110 1yp0 in which the can 11 111) and 111p 11:110 10l0s0o1'1ic channels tormim; :1 111111111 1110111111 s0al, which comprises :1 1 1111111111 1 11' 1110 can body, a cam having one width 11011111111111: its 1100 11111101110111 through 1110 1111011 1:100. 111' the 1010010111110 channels. 11101111s 111' which the 011111 111211. be given rot 111' 11111111111 While within the channels. said cam 1 1 .11151 a tongue portion 101' indenting th0 11111210111111 walls of 1110 channels With which it 1 11;111 11 dnrin; such rotary motion and 11 1 having 1:111 nnpointcd 11111111110111 cain s111' 1 11-0 111ovahl0 into 0011111011 with the sidt of 1111 channe s across from the point of ind 11tatio 1. for holding said 01111111101 walls 111 said lz'st 11101111011011 side against 111010- 111011 in the direction of indentation during such rotary motion.

11. Appai'aius for s0curing can tops to can 1111di0s tor cans of the typo in which 1110 can 11011 and top 11111'0 t0l0scopic channels form- 111g 11 1111111110'1'1'10111111 seal, which con1p1'is0s :1 support 1111' 1110 can body. :1 011101110 In0n1- 1101'. 11 phn'ality of stub shafts rotatably supp111'1011 by said 11101111101 and '11'ojccting 11101'0- fro-n1 toward said support. a 011111 carried upon 1110 pi'oicctin 011d 01' 011011 shaft and having" 11110 Width permitting its 11101'0111011t 111 11 and 11111 of 1110 te10scopi0 011111111011; \111011 111 11110 1111113111111 position and having a pointed 11111100111111 (11111120111110 with 110 pair 111 0011- 1111'1i11 1 side walls 11111111; angular 11111101110111 11-11111 said position through approxinmt i l v 1111101 110;, 1'00s so as 1 11 111110111 s111'l'1 0111111101- in; 111110 walls at 1110 point 111' 1 11g11g0n1011t, and 11101111s 1'111'1'1011111' said 1110111001' 1111' 1'ot:11- 111g all 1 1' said shafts to 0:111s0 i111l011t11t1io11s 11-1 the channcl sid0 Walls at a plurality of points spat-0d along the channel, 011011 011111 also having; an nnpninted abutment surface opposite the 11111111011 portion which engages with 1110 channel side Walls across from the points of i11d0ntation during 1110 111110111111; op01'alion for p1'0v0n1iing' n1ov01n0nt of tho sid0 walls 111 1110 channcl. at [110 points op- 111111111 the indcntataions, in the direction of 1111'101'111111011. and tlins prewnting opening of the S0an1s by distortion of the channels of 1110 top and can body during the indenting 

